A New Battle

A Question

~ "A therapist's office! We're moving up in the world." Hide cheered.

"This feels kind of dumb." Kaneki complained.

*"No," Yoriko said. "I came here after Touka left because I fell into this kind of depression and Riku helped me get my life back on track."

"Do you still come here?" Touka asked.

*"No, not really-- I do still take some anti-depressents though."

"Guys," Kaneki held his chin. "I'm not depressed."

*"Well," Yoriko chirped. "You might not, but what's wrong with getting help for something you're struggling with?"

Kaneki looked down at his feet.

All failure in this world is due to a lack of individual ability.

Touka guided his head up with the edge of her pointer finger. "It's going to be fine." She laced her fingers with his and held them between their chests.

Kaneki couldn't help but smile. "But did Yoriko and Hide need to come? This is embarrassing."

~ "Wow thanks bro."

* "We just knew you'd try to weasel your way out of this."

Touka laughed. "You know we're right."

The door directly across from the four opened. A tall, slender man with dark brown-- almost black hair entered the hall.

♘ "Hello," he said "My name is Riku Wada, and you must be Ken Kaneki." The shook hands.

"Nice to meet you," Kaneki's voice was barely above a whisper.

♘ "Let's just have a seat and my desk and have a little chat." He gestured towards the room and let Ken enter first. "It is nice to see you again, Yoriko." He bowed before shutting the door.

Riku took a seat across from Kaneki, the burgundy desk reflected their faces back to them. The room was eerily quiet except for small waterfall to the right of the table and Ken's foot tapping with the waters beat.

♘ "I'm going to give you a series of statements, and I want you to tell me if you agree or disagree with them, alright?" His voice was soft and gentle, but it didn't bring any ease to the young man across from him.

"Okay."

♘ "I feel slowed down."

"Yes, but I think that's because I was in a coma last week."

♘ "My future seems hopeless."

"No, In fact my future hasn't looked so bright since... ever." Ken forced a laugh.

♘ "Is it hard to concentrate while reading."

"Yes."

♘ "I have difficulty making decisions."

choose, choose 

He laughed, "Not lately."

♘ "I feel fatigued."

"Yes, but again I think it's because of the coma."

♘ "you feel agitated and need to move around."

Ken stopped tapping his leg. "Apparently."

♘ "Just do what makes you comfortable." Ken clutched his knee with his hand to keep it from moving.

♘ "I have experienced hallucinations."

"Yes."

♘ "It takes great effort to do simple things."

A teacup shatters at Ken's feet, spreading the coffee it once contained onto the pink tiles.

"Ken!" touka yelled. "That's the third one this week."

"Yes." Ken looked down.

♘ "I feel like a failure."

He focused on the space between his feet. "Yes."

♘ "I feel I am a guilty person who deserves to be punished."

He clenched his fists. "Yes."

♘ "I feel lifeless-- more dead than alive."

His foot began to tap again, faster then before-- nearly drowning out the sound of the waterfall. "I guess."

Riku offered a soft smile, but Ken couldn't see it.

♘ "I feel trapped."

Fists clenching harder, He could feel the cuffs back on his wrist and see Jason looming over him. He rested his elbows on his knees and hunched forward. "Yes."

♘ "I have thought of suicide."

Blood began pooling inside his fist, but he stayed entirely silent.

♘ "Let me rephrase-- Have you thought about ending your life in the last few weeks?"

The water fountain continued to drip.